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Passengers aboard Cathay Pacific flight CX-883 from Los Angeles to Hong Kong faced a grueling 28-hour journey after severe weather forced a major diversion and left them stranded on the plane.
The Boeing 777, carrying up to 294 passengers, departed Los Angeles International Airport at around 12:55 am on August 4. What was intended to be a 13-hour transpacific flight turned into a marathon delay, with the aircraft not arriving in Hong Kong until 7:15 pm on August 5.
The chaos began as the flight approached Hong Kong, where a rare ‘Black’ rainstorm warning was issued due to record-breaking rainfall—over 13.8 inches in a few hours. As the aircraft descended to roughly 5,000 feet for landing at Chek Lap Kok Airport, the pilots aborted the approach and entered a holding pattern.
Unable to safely land, the flight was diverted to Taiwan. However, passengers were not permitted to leave the aircraft during the nearly 11-hour stopover. They reportedly remained onboard with limited access to food and water, awaiting clearance to resume their journey once weather conditions improved in Hong Kong.
Despite the extended delay and challenging circumstances, Cathay Pacific has yet to issue a formal statement regarding the incident.
